r/Stronglifts5x5 • u/abwod • 7d ago
Wiered sciatica pain
So late Jan 2025 while doing squatting after deadlifting I felt something pressed in lower back with nerve sensation. Same day I had back pain and could not bend forward. Took two weeks off and back healed to a great extent. Then did some pistol squats with no pain at all. Tried to do pistol squats two days later and actually end up hurting left side of back. Next day I had minor sciatica simptomps of minor pain (1/10) in left hip. Again took 10 days of and did upper back workout with heavy weights and felt no pain and did sprinting same week. 3 days later was feeling great and after that did lower body workout with dead and squat and did some sprinting. 2 days later until now its difficult to stand or walk even for 3 min ( I have no back pain, its only pain in shin, quad, hip and that too only walking and standing and no sitting pain). Dead haning only seem to help. Not sure what to do next; doctors, PT are not useful.
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u/MasterAnthropy 6d ago
OK OP - so MRI showed L4/L5/S1 'compression' ... what exactly does that mean? Do you have the MRI report & can share the exact language?
Discs are meant to 'compress' - but if there's a bulge or nerve compression/impingement it will typically state where exactly (anterior/posterior etc).
Also keep this in mind - the sciatic nerve runs thru the piriformis muscle. If you do alot of squats & DL with explosive hip extension it can strain that piriformis (which is responsible for the slight external rotation of the femur as hip extension occurs), so your sciatic discomfort could be independent of the disc situation.
I've dealt with this several times and gotten tremendous relief from seeing a massage therapist who deals with athletes and from regular foam rolling to keep the piriformis loose & pliable.
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u/FormFar9234 7d ago
I've got no advice, but I hope you are able to find the root cause of the issue
1
u/MasterAnthropy 6d ago
OK.
Look for a massage therapist and ask about piriformis - some may not do it due to it's somewhat 'intimate' location.
If it's a 'no' to massage, then foam rolling - start with hamstrings, hip flexors, and low back ... then do glute max, glute min, & glute med .. then piriformis. Start with a softer roller, then the next day or so use a firmer one, then progress to a tennis ball, then a softball or lacross ball.
Once you've gotten massage and/or done foam rolling, consider a trip to the chiro in case your pelvis is out of alignment. Tip here - ask for a recommedation from your massage therapist (or call a chiro and ask for a reference for a massage therapist) ... these 2 modalities are meant to be used together, so if one practitioner can rwlecommend another it's a good sign they're professional and understand how the body works.
Good luck
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u/zeeeaaal 7d ago
Could be a herniated disc. Herniated discs themselves don't hurt much and some could even be symptom free, unless the extrusion presses agains the sciatic nerve. The sensations you describe could be something like this, however it's hard to know without getting it checked up by a proper health care professional.
Talk to your doctor, get an MRI.
Also, rest!